Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
| running time = 136 min. | country = USA | language = English | budget = $115,000,000 IMDB; Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) | gross revenue = $924,317,558 Box Office Mojo; Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) | preceded by = | followed by = Attack of the Clones }} Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is an American science fiction/fantasy film written and directed by franchise creator George Lucas. It was released theatrically in the United States on May 19th, 1999. It is the fourth film in the Star Wars feature film franchise and the first installment of the series' prequel trilogy. Chronologically, it is the earliest film in the series and was succeeded by the 2002 film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. As with the other films in the series, the music score was composed by Academy-award winning composer John Williams and featured on the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack. The novelization of the film was written by Terry Brooks and published by Del Rey on April 21st, 1999, nearly a month prior to the theatrical release of the movie. A video game tie-in to the movie was published by LucasArts for the PlayStation and the PC and released on April 30th, 1999. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace takes place thirty-two years before the events of 1977's Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The film reveals the environment of the Star Wars universe prior to the rise of the Galactic Empire. Anakin Skywalker, the man who will one day become the dreaded Sith Lord Darth Vader, is a nine-year-old boy living as a slave on Tatooine. While trying to protect Queen Amidala of Naboo from the forces of the Trade Federation, two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi bring her to Tatooine where they find young Anakin. Qui-Gon believes the boy to be the Chosen One who will bring balance to the Force and strives to bring him back to the planet Coruscant so he can be instructed in the ways of the Jedi. Meanwhile, the ambitious senator from Naboo, Palpatine, manipulates Queen Amidala into supporting his meteoric rise to power. Confounding the efforts of the heroes even further is the presence of a mysterious Sith warrior - the demon-faced Darth Maul. Cast Appearances * * * * * * Yodalings * Outer space * Outer Rim Territories * Tatoo System * Tatooine :* Beggar's Canyon :* Canyon Dune Turn :* Dune Sea :* Macroon Mesa :* Mos Espa :* Mos Espa Grand Arena :* Watto's junk shop * Coruscant * Malastare * * * * Dataries Notes & Trivia * The tagline for this film is, "Every saga has a beginning". * Principal filming on The Phantom Menace began on June 26th, 1997 and concluded on September 30th, 1997. * Both The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith opened theatrically on May 19th. Adaptations * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (soundtrack) * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (novelization) * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (junior novel) * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Vol 1 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 1 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 2 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 3 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 4 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (VG) Related pages * category * media * races * items * vehicles * locations * creatures * characters * organizations * image gallery * image category See also External Links * * * Star Wars: The Phantom Menace at Wikipedia * Star Wars: The Phantom Menace at Wookieepedia * * * * * * References ---- Category:Films Category:1999/Films Category:May, 1999/Films Category:1st installments Category:Prequels Category:Lucasfilm Ltd. Category:Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation Category:Warwick Davis